Chains
by nothingtodo
Summary: Mitsui= Police officer. OC= Intelligent Criminal. Mitsui x OC = ???? find out. :)
1. Robbery

As usual, the disclaimer:

I do not own Slam Dunk. But Slam Dunk owns me (esp Rukawa) and I don't mind one bit. ^__^

BTW, a short greeting from me to you. : ) I started this fic with something else in mind (namely Rukawa) but somehow it turned out this way. *looks at herself in bafflement* I am so unpredictable that I myself don't know what I'll be typing in the next sentence… *scratches head*

Anyway, enjoy!  

First chapter.

            The community in the Bokotu area was well known for it's crude way of living. Violence exploded freely – unstoppable even – and the people had little care for other's affairs compared to their own. It was a very, very unfriendly place … and Kiara lived there. 

            It was barely suitable for a nineteen-year-old to live in such harsh conditions, but she decided she'd survived pretty well and didn't see any rushed need to move away. Well, of course, that's partly because she had no expenses to spare to move away. Any idea how much moving from one place to another can cost? Unless you're content with sleeping on newspapers in dark alleys under the stars and think it's romantic, it usually topped hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

            Kiara didn't have hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

            She just had hundred and hundreds of cents, which she estimated could buy her enough doughnuts for a month or so.

            Money wasn't exactly the problem. If she needed any, there was always the nearby bank to break in. She felt she belonged there, between the corrupted city and its even more corrupted people.        Leaving it would be like leaving … well, she didn't exactly know. She'd never tried.

            But still, at the back of her mind, she thought a change would be nice.

            There are better things she could do. 

            Better places she could be in.

            Better people she could be with. 

            The sound of a police car blasting through the streets interrupted her. Kiara scowled, realizing that it was heading for the bank mentioned earlier. Luna and Pit were at it again, and they hadn't even invited her. She pouted before silently making her way to the old, crumbling construction site where she was sure her friends were sitting, happily counting the money they'd robbed while the police scramble around looking for clues.

            She'd make sure she taught them a lesson for leaving her out of tonight's project. She HATED to be left out. 

            "Nothing," the plump police officer said, stretching his hands out to emphasize his meaning. "Absolutely clean. These are professional thieves, sir."

            Sergeant Akagi scowled. "And you're not a professional police?" he raised one angry eyebrow, before delivering a skull cracking head punch on the officer's head. "All these years of training, and you come to me saying there were no clues. IDIOT! There are always clues. You're just too blind!"

            Beside him, another officer chuckled as he stared sympathetically at the cowering fat officer who desperately nursed his aching head. 

            Akagi hissed. "What's to chuckle about?" he demanded, swirling now onto the unsuspecting but ready officer. "Third case in a row, and NOTHING. The press is going to dig into our backs about this!"

            The officer made some clucking sounds, looking dreamily at a cigarette vending machine not far away. He regretted his move to stop smoking years ago. "I see."

            "Now that you've seen," his captain said sarcastically, veins popping on his face. "Why don't you step over and INVESTIGATE THIS BLOODY ROBBERY??" He stamped his foot, a movement that shook the ground. "You think I brought you here just to sit on that car's boot and smile??"

            "Chill, Akagi. You were always so temperamental."

            "GO! NOW!"

            "All right! All right!" Taking his eyes off the cigarette boxes winking seductively at him (only in his imagination), he grudgingly strode over to the scene of the crime. The workers and witnesses of the robbery were being interviewed. Not that it was much help. They were all used to robberies that one robbery was the same as the other. 

            There were no broken glasses, not much damage, except for the bent lock that was badly rammed with an instrument. He stared at it in disgust. _If that was the kind of locks they use around here, he thought, __then this bank deserves to be robbed. Who with a right mind would use this to lock millions of money??_

            "Excuse me," came a small, weedy-looking officer, staring at his casual clothing. "You're not supposed to be here. This place is only for policemen –"

            "Mitsui Hisashi," he whipped out his badge. "Undercover agent."

Waah! Mitsui! Undercover agent! *Swoon* [unavailable for further comment – Gomen]


	2. Mexican Cowboy

Thanks to all who reviewed! I appreciate it a lot! : ) *nothingtodo is all smiles* Hope you'll enjoy this chap! 

PS: BTW, I made some grammar and stupid mistakes in the last chapter. Replaced it with the fixed one. You can read it again if you want / or if you're particular about grammar mistakes. Heh heh! I'm only human!

Maemi: Am continuing! What made you think I'm going to stop there?? : ) And yeah, Mitsui = undercover agent *continues drooling unashamedly* : )) *suddenly notices a sulking Rukawa-kun* But of course, my fav is still Rukawa…

               : Sorry. You didn't tell me your name so I put a blank! Thanks a lot for reading this!

Joy: Arigato! More surprises? Were you expecting any??? 

Tiran: *looks at Tiran defensively* Hey, Mitsui will make a GOOD (and sexy) policeman!!! Ha ha!

Sll: Man, you are nuts over Micchy-san. : ) But then again, so am I. *once again notices Rukawa sulking* I mean, um… ah….

Second chapter

            "We couldn't find you," Luna tried to explain, flipping fat chunks of money in her hand. "You were out for one of those stupid stroll of yours. What did you expect us to do? Tear down this place stone by stone to look for you?"

            "No," Kiara said sulkily. "I expected you to at least walk for a couple of metres around the block. It's not like I go strolling as far as the next continent."            

            "Just drop it, Kiara." Pit said, hooking his arm lazily over one tattered couch. "There'll be other times. Let's order in pizza. I'm hungry."

            "You go order it cause I won't." Luna said promptly. "I'm too exhausted."

            "So am I." Pit said, suddenly fixing his face to look weary. "Oh, Kiaaaaraaaa…"

            "Shut up." Kiara scowled, firmly crossing her arms across her chest. "After what you did, you think I'm all eager to be your slave for the evening?? Get your brain fixed, Pit."

            "That's too bad," Pit sighed mournfully. "I saw this ad about this awesome new topping. I thought we could all try it, but well, since you're not willing to be errand-girl, I guess we'll miss it."

            Kiara sat thoughtfully, unaware she was slowly being trapped. "What … sort of topping?"

            "It's called 'Mexican Cowboy'. Handfuls of mushrooms, piles of pineapple, tons and tons of double cheese," Pit licked his lips ecstatically. "Not to mention the pepperoni and sausages and –"

            "Give me some money." Kiara muttered, and then escaped the building eagerly, racing off for the nearest Pizza House.

            Luna laughed. "Mexican Cowboy?"

            Pit shrugged. 

            "She'll be furious when she gets back, you know."

            Again, Pit shrugged. "That's okay. She's gorgeous when she's mad, and it's not like you and I are not used to it."

            "Smart," Mitsui summed up to Sergeant Akagi after he exited the bank. "Not even a speck of dust left."

            Akagi muttered under his breath. "You disappoint me, Mitsui. For all your reputation –"

            Idly, he took out a torn piece of clothing. "But I found this."

            Akagi stopped mid-sentence. "What is it?"

            "You disappoint me, Akagi. For all your reputation, I would've thought you would recognise something that you wear practically every day." He smiled mockingly at Akagi's frown. "It's fabric. Old. Washed out. Dark red. Cotton."

            Akagi snorted. "Research it."

            Mitsui ignored the abrupt command. "No vehicles were used. Robbers are somewhere near. Probably the same ones who broke in last month and the month before. There's sort of a pattern. They seem to attack at the third week of the month. Of course, that's not definite. Could be a coincidence. Also, suspected to be young. Witnesses say the robbers are not very big. Medium-sized, and definitely in their teens, but very mature for their age to be able to pull this off."

            "Hmm." Akagi grunted.

            Mitsui narrowed his eyes. "You're not listening. You're sleepy. Go home."

            Before Akagi knew it, he was shoved into the police car. Mitsui winked at him before walking back to the crowd of police officers who were making themselves busy by shooing the gathering crowd away. Akagi had to agree. He wasn't much help anyway. Bringing the car to life, he sped off.

            Mitsui breathed in relief. The ape was all but crawling all over his back.

            Kiara was steaming. She had waltzed up to the counter of the Pizza House demanding for a Mexican Cowboy, only to be returned with a startled look by the cute and girlish staff. "Come on," she had impatiently tapped the counter with her fingers. "You know the Mexican Cowboy. That new topping you're offering."

            It took ten minutes for the exasperated girl to explain to Kiara that no such topping existed. Finally, realizing she'd been fooled, Kiara placed an order for a spicy pizza with extra chilli and extra garlic, and lasagne for herself.

            Viciously cursing but secretly looking forward to get back so Luna and Pit can have their much-anticipated pizza, she swung around a corner and blinked at the bright red and blue lights attacking her eyes.

            She realized she was near the bank. She watched the policemen scurry around and couldn't quite manage to hide the smile. _Good luck, she wished wickedly. __You might need it._

            She thought about using another road when the curiosity of what her friends had done won her over. Usually, she was the tactician, the one who planned how a robbery was to be done. But today her friends had done it without her and she would like to see how well they fared.

            She edged inconspicuously nearer and nearer to the marked spot. Ignoring the policeman who was shooing the crowd away, she went on forward and peered inside for as far as she could. _Not bad, she decided grudgingly. __Looks like they did well without me after all. She didn't know if she was very happy about that. Then she smirked. __Still not smooth enough, guys. There were fingerprints over the safety box that the policemen were busy working with. _

            Of course, they always wore false fingertips prints bought at a trick shop when they did this sort of thing. But they rarely left any clues behind under her watchful eye. Luna and Pit definitely needed some improvement – and her.

            She was too absorbed in delighting with her friends' flaws that she didn't notice the officer had crept up to her until it was too late. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked coolly.

            She jerked slightly, but managed to compose herself. Putting on an enthusiastic expression, she whirled on him and took no more than a second to study him. _Gorgeous. "Oh, hello. Am I in your way? Sorry about that. I'm Yoko. I live here. I'm a reporter for my school, and I thought this incident would be explosive news in my school paper. I crept in for a quick look – you know, to describe it later in paper. Am I doing something wrong, officer?"_

            He looked at her. He was a skilful liar, probably one of the best, and he could distinctively tell when a person was lying. And she was definitely lying, though very expertly. "What school are you from?"

            There was a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. He bet she hadn't expected that question. "Bokotu High, of course," the reply was smooth, untroubled. "It's just around the corner. Nice little place, though the headmaster and I don't get along very much." She smiled.

            "I see. You're too close to the scene of the crime. Mind if we step somewhere else?"

            She gestured at her pizza. "I have to get home. Pizza getting cold. Sorry for bothering you. Interesting case. It'll be a hit report. Nice to meet you." She turned, apparently unhurried and relaxed. 

            "Nice to meet you too," he replied. "_Yoko."_

            The way he said her 'name' sent warnings to her head. But she ignored it, and nonchalantly walked away, whistling. 

            "Police swarming all over the place," she grunted as soon as she arrived at the bleak room they'd reserved for themselves in the abandoned construction site. "Thanks to the two of you, practically leaving clues all over the place."

            Luna looked hurt. "We were very careful."

            "Apparently not careful enough," Kiara said bluntly a she shoved the pizza to them and settled with her own lasagne. "Talked to one of the officers. Seems like a smart-ass." She paused. "He's got a great bod."

            Luna snorted, taking a slice of pizza. "Trust you to look at every man in that way."

            Kiara nodded in agreement, undisturbed. "Yeah. Trust me to do that."

            Then –

            "Bloody cow! Burning hell!" Pit cursed loudly as he leaped to his feet, spitting pizza to the ground and desperately grabbing around for water, followed by Luna who cursed more violently. "What on bizarre earth is this??? What the hell did you order, Kiara?? And where the hell is the water?"

            "Mexican Cowboy," Kiara smiled. "And I forgot to buy some water. Sorry."


	3. investigation

Third installation. : )

Kae: Yeah, Mitsui is HUNKY. Can't argue with you there. : ) I've never watched CSI, though my friends have been poking me to do so. Maybe someday. : )

Joy: Thanks! I like Kiara too! 

Fire-phinx: Thanks! Me like Mitsui too!

SLL: Arigato! Kiara is rather likeable! He he! 

Ferohcious: Action?? *imagines Mitsui in a MIB suit, holding a flashy gun* Muahahaha! Arigato!

Jo-sen7: Ah, you're a Sendoh fan, I bet??

Kka: *pales as kka goes around chanting 'bloody cow' and sees Kka's concerned parents reaching violently for her* No, nO! Not me! There! Kka's there! *points at kka who's stuck in a strap jacket, still mumbling 'bloody cow'* Ha ha! Thanks for reviewing!

Third chapter

"Anything?" Sergeant Akagi asked from his desk, sipping coffee.

            It was barely seven in the morning and Officer Mitsui, who had been groggily staring at his own cup of coffee, blinked. A frown swept over his handsome features and his lips dented downwards. "Shaddup. (Shut up)". Rubbing his sore eyes, he drooped over his seat like a wilting flower. 

            It was a well-known fact that Mitsui Hisashi barely spoke more than five syllables before he's had his coffee. Akagi, of all people, knew it too well, but decided he didn't care. Aiming an empty can of Cola, he threw it and it hit Mitsui squarely in the face. The hothead shot up, mouth rapidly pronouncing curses no one else on earth could come up with. "#^@$#%!&^*!! You should be burned in the deepest Hell, you know that??"

            The Head Officer, an old man reaching his fifties, who happened to pass by paused and levelled a look at his swearing underling. "Good morning to you too, Mitsui." He said coolly. "I'm sure you took a lot of trouble to come up with that undoubtedly cheerful greeting for my benefit."

            Mitsui paled, but quickly regained his roguish, mischievous expression. "Why, sir, I'm glad you like it. But I'm sorry to say my highly original greeting was meant for that ape sitting over there in his desk with his plate of bananas." Akagi turned red and quickly shoved his bananas from view. 

            "I do not wish to have disrespect between partners in this office." 

            "Absolutely, sir," Mitsui agreed. "Everybody on earth knows I respect Sergeant Akagi. My respect for him is so vast that I cannot even begin to describe it into words. His style and grace astounds me, and his powerful voice positively brings me to wonder about how such a sound could be produced from –"

            The Head Officer sighed. "I don't know what to do with you, Mitsui," he sighed helplessly, almost on the verge of laughing. 

            "That's okay, sir. I know very well what to do with myself."

            The Head Officer laughed. "No one can win a banter with you."

            Mitsui pretended to blush, shyly covering his cheeks. "Oh, sir, what took you so long to realize that? I am truly flattered."

            The Head Officer could only manage to shake his head. "Impossible," he chuckled to Akagi before making his way to his own private room. 

            Akagi grunted. "He only let you off because you're his favourite." He said grudgingly.

            Mitsui sighed. "Such burden," he agreed. 

            Akagi decided to let that pass. "Now, since you're up and fully awake, let's talk about last night's robbery." He took out one banana and started eating. "Now, (chomp) about the suspects, have you gotten (chomp) any?"

            "Ten," Mitsui answered, downing his cold coffee forlornly. "Blurgh! Who made this coffee??"

             "You did."

            Mitsui's eyes grew wide. "I didn't make any since last week."

            Akagi nodded. "I know."

            Mitsui glared at his friend and immediately pushed his expired coffee to one side in disgust. "And I bet your coffee is fresh?"

            "Of course (chomp)."

            "And I suppose it never occurred to you to share your fresh brew with me?"

            "Of course not. You went through such trouble to brew it last week (chomp). I didn't want to waste your hard work."

            Mitsui winced, remembering his two-hour struggle with the blasted coffee machine. "Never mind. Forget it."

            "I knew you'd understand."

            "I said, forget it, Akagi." Irritated, Mitsui slammed the robbery files on his table and took out ten sheets containing the suspects' particulars. "The finger prints that we found were quite peculiar," he commented. "It had two different sets of patterns on one thumb." 

            "What, an alien?"

            "Grow up, Akagi," Mitsui muttered, studying the enlarged print intently. "The only alien around here is you." Ignoring Akagi's vicious curse, he continued on. "We think false fingertip prints were used. One of it probably got loose during the robbery and exposed half the culprit's thumb. I don't know which is false, or which is the correct one. So far, we've traced both fingerprints to these ten people." 

He tossed five of the sheets to Akagi. "You interview these people. I'll do the other five."

            Akagi nodded. "All right. Let's get started." He studied one of the papers. "Man, this kid should be in rehab. Look at him, he's obviously on drugs." He showed the picture of a skinny guy with bags under his eyes.

            "Good. Maybe you can recommend him to one, Father Theresa."

            Akagi ignored that. "Where are you going?"

            "Seems to be an abandoned construction site," Mitsui shrugged, hand groping for his coat. "Two of the suspects are there."

            "Abandoned construction site?? People actually live there??"           

            Mitsui's eyes darkened for a moment. Then, nonchalantly, he replied: "You might be surprised, partner."

            The construction site was – not surprisingly – a mess. Leftover wood planks and bricks were scattered everywhere, accompanied by bits of bent and blunt nails. Mitsui couldn't stop the smile. Only God knew the bond he shared with places like this. He found that he almost missed the feeling of trudging alone around secluded areas and making them his own.

            It was empty for the most part. Not a soul around, and not a single sound. He walked around the block a couple of times in search of a living person – or if his luck struck good, two living persons, Pit Osagi and Luna Kimiwa. 

            After about quarter an hour, he stopped. _Now_, he thought. _If I were a robber with an IQ more than 120, where would I hide?_

            Then, instinct kicked in, and he followed it.

            Kiara was sitting miserably on the worn out couches, staring bleakly at the even bleaker wall. Pit and Luna had disappeared without telling her anything, leaving a small note that said nothing more than: Later!

             She hissed irritably. _Later, my foot! It's been exactly ten hours since they were gone. Where are they??? _She tapped her feet on the floor, somehow anxious. Groaning, she covered her eyes with her hand in frustration. _Why do I suddenly have such a bad feeling about this?_

            There was a slight rap at the doorway, and Kiara looked up sharply, ready to scream out a few choice words. "Luna, you –"

            "Kiara." 

            Kiara stared at the man leaning easily against the door and left her cursing half-finished. "Nobu." She muttered half-heartedly, disappointed that it wasn't Luna or Pit. "What are you doing here?"

            "Heard you were alone. I thought you'd like some company. Mine, particularly." He only chuckled when Kiara made an unflattering face at him. "Don't bother worrying about your two ninny friends."

            "You know where they are?"

            Nobu shrugged. "Away." He straightened and walked in. "I saw them hurrying out of here with all of their stuff. Seemed anxious to leave, if you ask me."

            Kiara stared open-mouthed. "They _left_?? Why??"

            "Somebody told them they had been discovered by the police." Nobu smiled. "I'd run too if I were them. I see, however, that they left you behind."

            Kiara scrunched up the miserable note Luna had written and threw it to Nobu's face in anger. She leaped up to feet and started to pace around the room, yanking drawers out. Indeed, all of Luna and Pit's belongings were absent. The money they'd robbed was cleaned out too. "Great," Kiara grumbled, kicking the last empty drawer away. "Just great."

            Nobu laughed. "You're angry now, aren't you? I've always liked it when you get angry." He stepped forward, arms reaching. "Now, why don't we unwind and relax…"

            The wiggling hands, which had been eagerly heading towards Kiara, suddenly stopped dead. "Get out of here, Nobu." Kiara flashed her dagger in his face. "I'm not in the mood to entertain you."

            Nobu replaced the shocked look on his face with an easy smile. "Fine, fine. Tomorrow then."

            "Not tomorrow, not ever. Get out of my way."

            He gingerly stepped out of the way as she bulleted through to the other end of her room where she kept her things. "Playing hard to get, Kiara? That's unusual. I thought you were a frank person."

            "You're right. I am. And frankly, I don't want you." She peeked inside her drawer and checked exactly how much money she had left. 

            Nobu breathed heavily, his face reddening, fists clenching and unclenching. 

            Kiara spared a brief second to look at him. "Now, are you going to go away, or are you going to keep on standing there looking like an idiot?" She turned back to her money counting.

            Nobu stamped out, eyes flashing. "This is not the end of it, Kiara. I'll be back."

            "Don't bother," Kiara muttered without looking up, not at all bothered by the vicious threat but more occupied with her financial state. She had at least 150 bucks with her, and another thousand stored somewhere else where neither Luna and Pit couldn't find – just in case. _Good thing too_, she grumbled to herself. _They left practically nothing for me to survive on back here. Damn. To Hell with the police. How could they have traced it straight on to Luna and Pit? It never happened before. Either the police are getting better and smarter, or Luna and Pit are stupider and did more mistakes that I noticed. Didn't those two idiots use any fake fingerprints or take any precautions or SOMETHING?_                         

There was another scrapping sound at the doorway. Kiara shoved the drawer close, fished out her dagger again and hissed. "Get lost, understand? I'm not going to sleep with you no matter what you say."

            "Ah, that's just too bad then."

            Alarmed at the unrecognisable voice, Kiara whirled around sharply. "You!"

            "No, the name's Mitsui." The officer flashed a smile. "That's some weapon you got there." 


	4. discussion

Fourth installation! Thanks for you support, minna-san!

Joy: Thanks! Am continuing!

Tensaispira: Well, now you've noticed! Ha ha! Kiara IS something, isn't she?

Coolpriss: Ha ha! You're hardcore Mitsui fan?? *joins coolpriss in drooling* BTW,actually, I never meant the officer to be Anzai sensei – but now that you've brought it up, IT DOES SOUND LIKE HIM, DOES'T IT?? What a shock!

Eliar Swiftfire: Thanks! Well, now you know it's AU!

Yoriko: You beat Sendoh up, and yet you kiss Mitsui. ???

SLL: Thanks! It just occurred to me that Nobu could be Kiyota Nobunaga. What do you think??

Ferohcious: the action won't come for some time, I think. Sorry!

Fiery ice: number one, yes, micchy's a cop. Number two, yes, she did say that. :P number three, no, I got it from Nora Robert's novel 'Sacred Sin'. But I DO like YUA!!

Jo-sen7: Thanks! I'm so happy you like this. 

Jeano: Thanks! I'll try to do my best. : )

Tiran: Thanks! Read on!

Kka: You know how this is gonna end up?? Humph! It seems I'll have to twist it, but in the end, you'll probably be right anyway!

            Kiara's brain whirled to think of a dozen explanations to tell the officer. _Oh no. Oh man. Toasted, I am toasted. Barbecued. Smoked._ Willing herself to relax, she forced the colours back into her paling cheeks. She had to be cool and calm. Any sign of anxiety would give her away. "Self-defence," she said finally, her voice smooth and confident, flipping the dagger playfully. "You never know who you chance upon in this place." She smiled at him.

            "Which brings us to the next question – what are you doing here?"

            _Argh, you no good busybody_! "I hang out here."

            "Alone?"

            _Well, now that two of my friends have taken off, yeah, alone_. "Yes."

            "But there are more than two couches here." He observed. "What, you like to move from one couch to another every few minutes?"

            Kiara kept the impatient hiss in check. "It doesn't hurt. I get company sometimes." Deciding he was getting way too curious, she changed the tide. "So, what's a policeman doing out here in a bright, sunny afternoon?"

            "Doing what a policeman usually does in a bright sunny afternoon," he replied. "Investigating. Mind if I come in?"

            _Yes, I mind. Get lost_. "No, of course not. Have a couch." She invited sweetly. "Be my company for today, if you like." She watched him settle down, thoughts racing to figure out what to do. "Any progress on yesterday's robbery?"

            "Working on it."

            "Aah."

            He looked at her. "You mentioned having company around here," he said, intently watching her face for any revealing signs. "Do any of them happen to be Luna Kimiwa and Pit Osagi?"

            Her eyelashes didn't even flutter. "No. Why? Who are they?" She pretended to finally understand. "Oh, you mean, they're the culprits?"

            Mitsui held her gaze steadily, undecided. Either she's telling the truth, or she's a damn terrific liar. He couldn't tell which, since she barely flinched under his gaze (which was famous for intimidating victims into confession) and instead stared back at him just as steadily. "That's what I want to find out," he answered. "They're merely suspects at the moment. There are reports that they are frequently seen around here. Maybe you've seen them?"

            Kiara shrugged. "Maybe, but I wouldn't know if it was them, would I, if I don't even know how they look like?"

            He nodded. "No, I don't suppose you would." He took out the profiles and showed it to her.

            Kiara made some sounds as if she was trying hard to rack into her memory. Then, putting on a sympathetic but supportive face, she said," No, sorry. I've never seen them before. But they could be here. I don't know. Maybe they're new, and I have not had the chance to bump into them yet. Why don't you ask some of the other people around here?"

He shrugged. "I have."  _Lying, or not lying?? Who can tell??_ Better resort to more questions and more facial-expression-observing. "Isn't it dangerous hanging out here all by yourself?"

            Kiara lifted an eyebrow. "I thought we were discussing something else."

            "This is a minor interruption." He replied easily. "This place is dangerous."

            "Every place in Bokotu is dangerous." She chose her answers carefully, and flashed her dagger. "That's why I take this along with me wherever I go. Everybody here carries at least one weapon around for self-defence. It's almost a tradition." _There!_ She gloated to herself. _I've managed to answer that without giving anything away and explain the presence of my dagger at the same time. I should get a trophy._

            He found himself admiring her quick-thinking brain. And the rest of her as well. "Ever had the chance to use that?"

            Her eyes narrowed, and Kiara could feel her mask of tranquillity crack. "Why are you cross examining me, officer? Shouldn't you be spending your time looking for those two culprits with those funny names?"

            "What's your name?" he asked suddenly.

            Kiara's lips thinned in annoyance. _Police tactics_, she thought irritably. _Changing the topic as fast as lightning in hope you'll trip yourself up and blurt what they want to hear_. "I told you. Yoko."

            "No, you lied to me. What's your name?"

            Great, her deception wasn't just cracking, it was falling apart. _How did he know??_ _Am I that obvious?? Have my lying skills gone tarnished??_ "Sakura," she replied, telling herself firmly to calm down again. One can't lie when one's head is hot.

            He shook his head. "No, your real name."

            Kiara had tightened her grip on her dagger, unconsciously reacting to danger. He noticed it and put a restraining hand on hers. "Now, let's not hurt each other," he said carefully. "We're both armed, and we're both vulnerable. I won't do anything to you. I just want to know who you really are and why you're giving me false information of yourself."

             His hold on her was firm and strong. She could, of course, twist her dagger just a little bit and slash his arm … and then what? Run? No doubt it'll take him less than ten seconds to catch up with her, and it'll only convince him further than she was involved. 

She decided to play it safe and steer the conversation away from the Luna and Pit.  She lowered her dagger and gently put it on the floor. He watched her and then nodded his approval. "I was brought up to be careful with strangers. I don't share true information with people that I don't know." She explained.

            He raised an eyebrow. "I know you. You know me."

            "Barely." She said wryly.

            "Well then," he smiled. "We'll have to work on that, won't we?"

            She didn't even notice the change of tone until he was on top of her, hands and lips linked. Anyone else would have received a limb-numbing kick in the groin that would ache for weeks as a reward for a move so daring. He, however, continued on without the slightest disturbance or protest from her, which she found rather puzzling and out-of-character. _Something's wrong with me._    

She waited until he was finished before pushing him away.

            "There," he said brightly. "We know each other already."

            Kiara managed a short laugh, cautiously backing away from him. "You have a point there." 

            "What's your name?"

            "Aikawa." It was her middle name. She wasn't exactly lying. "Aikawa Kiminagi."

            He seemed to buy that, and she secretly released a breath of relief. "Thank you, Aikawa. Now that we're properly introduced, mind telling me why you're here and not in Bokotu High on a school day?"

            _Shit_. "I'm skipping school," she replied a little too quickly. The reason was logical. It's probably even expected, coming from an obviously corrupted Bokotu teen citizen. Students skipping school isn't exactly an issue anymore in places like this.

And it was quite true, she DID skip school a couple of years ago – more than once, for that matter. He seemed to buy it too, smiling understandingly. Kiara discovered that if she told half-truths, he wasn't able to recognise it as a lie. "Today, Maths. I hate Maths."

            "Me too," he confessed, falling for it.

            It had to do with the way she said it, she realised. When she told a lie, there was a certain level of stressed tones that no person on earth but him could detect. But if it was half-truth, the stressing of the words was less obvious. _Interesting_. It had been a long time since she last discovered something equally fascinating.

             "But you might want to rethink your actions," he said suddenly. "Education is important. I realised that a little too late for my benefit."

            Kiara raised an eyebrow. "You have quite a history of yourself, don't you? Maybe you could tell it to me someday."

            "And you can tell me yours."

            She tensed, recognising another police tactic and unable to help the reflex action. "I don't have anything to do with Luna Kimiwa and Pit Osagi," she said slowly, as if wanting the words to sink deeply into his head. It _was_ true, she decided, watching her tones. She wasn't involved with the previous robbery, which kind of meant she didn't have anything to do with Luna and Pit at that particular time. _Believe me,_ she prayed. _Please believe me._

            He looked at her distressed face in amusement. "It has nothing to do with the investigation," he assured her. "I have my reasons."

            That wasn't soothing at all. "What sort of reasons?" she asked suspiciously.

            "Personal ones." He grinned, an eye-catching stretch of the lips that unsettled her a bit. "I'll be in contact. Good day."


	5. police surveillance

First off, apologies for the mistake I made of deleting the entire chapter and replacing it with a one-sentenced one. *smiles sheepishly* This is what happens when you try to upload five chapters in the space of half an hour! Sorry, minna-san!

            "All five suspects investigated," Akagi reported back in the police station as they lounged around the meeting room, feet comfortably placed on the polished wooden table. "One was in a video arcade at the time of the crime. Three of his friends and the manager of the arcade confirmed it."

            "Hmm."

            "Another one was eating at a restaurant. Five witnesses – mostly the waitresses that he flirted with. One more was stuck in the hospital with a fractured leg – still is, actually. A video recording of the room showed he was asleep at the time of the crime. The other two have their alibis, but they're yet to be proven."

            "Hmm."

            Akagi scowled, disappointed at his partner's lack of appreciation for his undoubtedly hard work. "What about you?"

            "Dead."

            "Huh??"

            "Three of the suspects were gang drug dealers. They were involved in a drug exchange in the next district, got discovered by the police over there and were shot to death after a series of fights."

            Akagi nodded grimly. "Good. Fewer troublemakers. The other two?"

            "Missing."

            "HAH??"

            Mitsui faced his partner's wrath. "Gone. Disappeared." His face crunched up in frustration. "Got away before I came."

            Akagi had grown twice his size and now stood looming over Mitsui, who was comfortably sprawled over his chair. "You're losing your touch, Mitsui. This never happened before."

            Mitsui gritted his teeth. "It won't happen again. I'll get them."

            "And exactly how are you going to that?"

            "It's called searching. Manually. I'll dig to the centre of the earth if I have to." He sighed, brooding. "Besides, I think I might have a lead."

            "Oh, really?"

            He nodded. "Really. Female." His expression automatically changed, his eyes glinting and his smile mischievous. "Smart, quick-thinking and brave." He paused. "Sexy."

            Akagi didn't bother to conceal his disgusted groan. "You think about a woman like that and you're bound to get into trouble."

            Mitsui smirked. "I like trouble."

            Akagi reached forward and shook his partner roughly by the shoulders. "Come back to reality, you idiot. If she's going to be your investigation subject, you better think twice about getting involved with her. You don't want to have anything to do with her when the time comes for you to arrest her."

            "She's just hiding something from me. I doubt she's involved in the robbery."

            Akagi decided arguing with a stubborn man wouldn't get him anywhere. "Have it your way," he gave up. "But I'm warning you, don't mix in your personal life with your professional one. It's not wise."

            "Whoever said I was wise?"

            Akagi sighed. "Never mind."

            Kiara was thoughtfully chewing on a doomed fry near the glass wall of the restaurant when her cell phone buzzed. She absently flipped it open and brought it to her ear. "Kiara speaking."

            "Shush!" Luna shushed her in a hoarse whisper. "Use code names! This phone's probably tapped! I'm Blue Organ, and you-know-who is Headless Neck!"

            "More like Brainless Head." Kiara muttered, her anger refreshing itself. "Sorry. Don't know you. Goodbye."

            "I knew you'd be furious," Luna sighed. "Listen, Kiara, we couldn't find you. We were in a hurry."

            "You know, I'm getting tired of that worn out excuse." Kiara chewed on another fry, more viciously. "What do you want, Blue Organ? And there's no such thing as a blue organ."

            "Yes, there _is_. Veins are blue in colour."

            "Veins are not organs."

            There was a pause. Luna hissed. "Shut up, biologist." Her voice took on an anxious note. "Is the policeman still looking for us?"

            "He's hot on your trails," Kiara supplied cheerfully. "When he shoves both of you into prison, remember to send me a postcard." She ignored Luna's curse of locking her in a chest and burying her ten thousand feet underground. 

            "Come on, Kiara," Luna moaned. "Be a sport, okay?"

            "You left me," Kiara started, her eyes flashing. A pity Luna couldn't see it. "You knew the police were coming, and you left me. Did it occur to you that I was not aware of it and that one wrong move could've ended my life? Did it ever occur to you that _I_ could've been arrested? Does it even matter to you?"

            "You're not going to tell on us, are you?"

            Kiara snorted. "Of course not. I'm not a backstabber, which is more than I can say for you."

            "Don't you ever run out of sting?" Luna muttered irritably. "I'm sorry, okay? What do you want me to do? Drop down in front of you and kiss the ground you walk on?"

            "I'd prefer you licked it."

            "You're going to have to learn the value of forgiveness, Kiara."

            "Someday. Where are you?" Kiara fished another fry out.

            "I can't tell you. This phone might be tapped." There was a pause. "Look, don't say anything to the police officer, whoever he is, okay? Be careful."

            "I'm always careful." Kiara muttered, but the phone line got disconnected. She dropped her cell phone back onto the seat next to her and stared grumpily out the glass. 

Suddenly, somebody took a firm hold of her chin, lifted it upwards and planted a lingering kiss on her lips. 

            "Hello." Mitsui's sharp eyes were boring into hers. 

            Kiara's eyes were wide, and her cheeks were still hot. But she managed to compose herself as he invited himself onto the seat across her. "That's quite a way of greeting somebody 'hello'." She muttered.

            "I thought we might need to get to know each other a little more." His face was more serious to fit her liking. "You're not in Bokotu High School."

She froze. DANGER flashed in her face in neon colours, followed by UH OH, RUN and DEAD MEAT.

            The officer had researched her.

            "You _were_ from Bokotu High School," he continued calmly, but there was an edge of violence in his voice. "But you dropped out one year before graduation, much to everyone's surprise." He paused, assessing her reaction. "But you're name _is_ Aikawa. I'm surprised that wasn't a lie. Still, you're known with another name entirely. I still haven't figured that out." Again, he paused. "What else did you lie about?"

            Kiara counted her breaths to steady it. She narrowed her eyes to hide the panic in them. "Which point of view are you asking me from?" she asked coolly. "An officer on duty or an acquaintance?"

            "A friend who's furious about being lied at."

            She snorted. "You're not my friend."

            "I am now." The glint in his steel eyes warned her not to argue. "And I'll probably be more than that as we progress along."

            Kiara's eyebrows arched. "That's rather direct."

            "I don't dawdle," he replied, somewhat gruffly. "I like you, and I want you."

            Kiara was thankful she hadn't been drinking anything, hadn't been drinking anything, rayed it out of her mouth in her shock of so frank a declaration. She sputtered foolishly, struggling to get hold of herself and wondering why a sentence containing less than ten words could shake her so. "May I remind you that you're a policeman?"

            "So?" he questioned. "It shouldn't be a problem… unless you're involved with the robbery, or Luna and Pit, to be specific." Her sharp breath revealed her. He looked at her grimly. "You _do_ have something to do with this." Ironically, when it should've been her instead of him, he felt sick.

            Kiara thought about leaping over the restaurant counter and running out through the back door, but she changed her mind. Too late to run. But still too early to give in. "Perhaps I do have something to do with your investigation – then again, perhaps I don't," she shrugged calmly. "But you can hardly prove either one of those, can you?"

            _Yes, _he confirmed it in his thoughts, judging her reaction, _she's involved._ "How much?"

            "Huh?"

            "How much were you involved? What part did you play?"

            _No use denying_, Kiara realised. She was on shaky grounds. "You're the investigator. Find out yourself." 

            They stared at each other for what seemed like a long time. 

            "You're going to have to cooperate sooner or later," he murmured finally, voice oozing out unreasonable anger. 

            "Well, then I'll just take my own sweet time." She could see he was angry. Sure, she'd lied and eluded him, but it hardly deserved this amount of anger. She wondered what else was bugging him so much.

            "I'll have to put you under police surveillance."

            Kiara's plans of escaping at the soonest opportunity tumbled down. "Whose?"

            "Mine." His eyes flashed. "Starting right this minute."


	6. Interaction'

Sixth installation! (really, someone has to cure me from announcing the number of chaps!) ^_^ Thanks again for reading, minna-san! 

Eliar Swiftfire: Can't different ranking police work together? I dunno. *shrugs helplessly* If it helps, just forget that they have ranks. Thanks for reading, PJ-boy

SLL: *nothingtodo cautiously approaches sLL and nervously looks around for any signs of weapon* I'm glad you like this ficcie. : ) And thanks for that look left, look right tip! I might use it some time. ^_^ Make a movie out of my fic??? !!!!! Stop joking, sLL. Ha ha!

Joy: Yep, I rather like Kiara myself. Ha ha! More surprises? I dunno…

Ky: You think so? Thanks!

Yoriko: Thanks! (and hey, I was surprised you reviewed my long-forgotten poems! Ha ha! Thanks again!

Fiery Ice: Yeah, they've just finished showing YUA season 2 over here in Malaysia too. *drools at Shouji* I love that guy! Handcuff me? Now, really, fiery ice you wouldn't do that, would you? *nervously looks around for escape routes*

Idiotic Moron: Relax! No need to beat own self for not reviewing my fic – I'll gladly do it for you! Ha ha ha! Joking. : ) Thanks for reading my work, Mron! (oh no, that didn't come out very well – I meant your name! Not that you're a moron! *babbles on to explain innocence to Idiotic Moron*)

Kka: I like disappearing. ^_^  I'll try not to make you go nutso or chipso again. : )

Jo-sen7: *calmly watches as Jo-sen7 breaks into a bank* Just hope you'll have time to read this chap, and not get too busy waiting for Mitsui to come and catch you! Nyahaha!

Alexia: Thanks a lot. *blushes outrageously* And thanks for alerting me about the crazy sentence. I'll fix it!

Electric muffin: Arigato! Next chapter served!

Doujin: The lead HAS to be Mitsui. Nobody else fits the part so well, don't you think? I took the name 'Kiara' from Lion King. I'm not very good at making names, actually. *hides ashamed face* Keep on tuning to this story!

Ferohcious: Have fun studying – if that's ever possible. I like their conversations a lot too! Somehow, they things they say always amuse me! Ha ha! Let's see how else they 'interact', hmm?

Tiran: Cliffhanger? Where? Thanks! I'll keep up my work and you keep up your reading!

Coolpriss: Me likey their conversations too. : ) I dunno why I like to make them kiss  a lot … still, no harm, is there? ;P

Rei-142: Another one who wants to chain me to the computer…. *shudders* I am surrounded by threats!

Tensaispira: I'm glad you like it : ) Have fun reading this chap!

Jeano: Am uploading!

            It was uncomfortable and nerve-racking, Kiara concluded. Having a police officer by her side at all times was so weird she had trouble believing it was happening.

            But it was.

            Every time she looked around her, he was there, close by. Just watching her, his eyes digging into her skin as if he could scratch up the answers from there. At times, she found herself reaching out to pinch him, to determine whether he was a figment of her imagination or whether he was really, really there.

            The results were all the same.

            He was really, _really_ there, frowning sometimes at her touch.

            Every minute, she could feel herself slipping further and further into trouble. Misery crowned over her as she realised she was going to have to handle this alone, all by herself. At least Luna and Pit were together. If things took a wrong turn, Kiara was going to have to go to jail with nothing but her own company.

            She shuddered at the image of a dungeon in her mind, and Mitsui came closer, concerned, but mostly scrutinizing her every expression. She gritted her teeth. "Stop watching me," she snapped. "You're free to follow me, but stop looking at me like that."

            "Like what?" he queried nonchalantly.

            She glared. "Like you're going to eat me alive."

            "Why would I want to that?"

            "Because you're angry with me," Kiara muttered. "That's understandable, but can you keep your anger to yourself? I don't care much for it."

             "Why do you think I'm angry with you?"

            Why did he ALWAYS answer a question with another question? Kiara didn't find that trait of his flattering. "Actually, I don't really care why you're angry with me."

            "Good," he snapped. "Because you wouldn't have liked my reason anyway."

            Moodily, they trudged back to the construction site. "I live here," she informed him stiffly. "And I assume you're going to insist on staying here for the night to _watch_ me. Well, the two couches there are free. Your choice. Just don't wake me up in the middle of the night crying to go back to your home."

            "When Hell freezes over," he retorted.

            They settled into their own substitute bed grumpily, tossing and turning. 

            It was past one o'clock in the morning when Mitsui muttered: "What are you doing here, Aikawa?"

            Kiara grunted in the dark. "Shut up. One of us here is trying to get some sleep."

            "You're not," he replied. "You're just staring at the wall and checking every once in a while to see if I'm asleep so you can make your getaway." Kiara hissed in exasperation as he neatly uncoiled her plans and wondered how he could see her in such an oppressing darkness. "What are you doing here?" he repeated.

            "What does it look like I'm doing?? I'm living. I'm trying to reach my twenty-second birthday at least." 

            "There are other ways to live and survive."

            Kiara snarled. "You don't know what you're talking about, okay? This is hardly your place to tell me your fascinating observation about the way I do things."

            Mitsui gave a short laugh. "I probably know more than you'll ever know."

            "What's that supposed to mean?"

            "I used to live in places like this too," he shrugged to her.

            Kiara sat up. "What?" She squinted to locate him in the darkness.

            "Ran away from home at fourteen. Started smoking at fifteen and took drugs at sixteen. Became a street thief and broke into mansions at seventeen. Got caught." He recited it unemotionally, as if he was reading from a history textbook. "Went into rehab and got out at twenty."

            Kiara realised she was holding her breath, for some reason. "And then?"

            Suddenly, he was right in front of her. He had crept over unnoticed. She couldn't see his face, but she felt the heat radiating from him and the overpowering presence of his eyes on her face. 

            "And then," he answered. "I realised there were better things I could do with myself. I became a police cadet, and am a policeman now."

            He let the silence hang over them.

            Kiara struggled to find something to stay, all of a sudden awkward. "Well then, good for you."

            "That's beside the point," he told her. "The point is you."

            She knew that was coming. Clearing her throat, she ordered herself to relax and sort through her thoughts carefully. "This is the life that I want," she informed him. "I love this place, and I like how things go around here. You needed a better life – I don't. But thanks for your concern anyway."

            "Don't try that with me, Aikawa," Mitsui groaned almost painfully. "You're not a fool. You know deep down in that stuffy heart of yours that the world is a big place. You're just saying you love your current life because you're trying to disillusion yourself by pretending that it's perfect." He paused when she hissed. 

            "It _is_ perfect," Kiara said defensively. "I get by. I have fun."

            "That's because you have not seen the other things – better things – that you can do out of here. I bet you have never been out of Bokotu your entire life."

            She paled – not that it was noticeable in the black darkness.

            "That's the reason," he continued. "You grew up here with solid belief that every other place is like this, and that you have no choice but to live the way you do."

            Kiara froze when his statement struck true.

            "It's not the way you think it is," Mitsui told her, gently this time. "There are better lives than your seemingly 'perfect' one. I look at you, and then at this sorry room, and you don't fit at all." He took her chin with his fingers and lifted it to level with his. "I guess I'll just have to show you." 

            Kiara stared into his eyes, losing her logic in the process. She decided Mitsui's advantage over her – other than strength, muscle and smarts – was his eyes. Dark, powerful and hypnotizing. "Are you going to kiss me?" she asked foolishly. 

            His eyebrow arched. "Actually, I was thinking about taking you around my town and show you what there is out there waiting for you," he mused, tone changing into one of light amusement. "But since you've asked…"

*hentai thoughts start springing from the cerebral cortex* Ehem. 


	7. the BIG step

Seventh chapter released for public reading! Hope y'all like this!

Jo-sen7: I didn't mean it to be a cliffhanger – honest! Why do I keep making cliffhangers without even knowing it?? It just seemed appropriate to end it there! *begs for her life* plz spare me!

Jeano: Now that you feel guilty about not uploading – GO AND UPLOAD! Ha ha! Sorry, just having fun there. Yay! You're the only one who thinks it was good to end the last chapter where it ended! The rest are wanting to choke me for the cliffhanger (which I still insist, WASN'T a cliffhanger)

Alexia: I've fixed chapter 5. Sorry about that! 

Joy: Thanks, Joy! I get ecstatic too when those two start getting mushy! Ha ha!

Tensaispira: *is reminded of Holly Valance's 'Kiss Kiss'* Next chapter already up!

Doujin: Am writing more! Thanks a lot, doujin! 

SLL: Yep, Mitsui is one sexy dude here. : P *wiggles eyebrows* Anyway, ehem, thanks for reviewing! (PS: Me? Tensai? *starts imagining being in Sakuragi's shoes* Ore wa tensai! Ha ha!)

Patty g: More interaction? *looks down at her newly written chapter* I don't think you can get any more 'interaction' than what this chapter offers! *hentai grin*

Tiran: Next chappie … HERE! And if this is a cliffhanger to you too, then I dunno what to say!

Fiery-Ice: Fly down to M'sia and duct tape me to the computer!! I'd like to see THAT!! Ha ha! (PS: Oh, yes, Shouji is HOT *drools* I fly to the moon every time he comes on screen) I happen to have a lot of free time now, so I write a lot. : ) And me, best writer in FF.net? *falls off chair laughing* I wish!

Kka: I see that I have somehow corrupted you, *wicked laugh echoing over the walls*

Rei-142: Thanks for reading every fic of mine – you're amazing. I didn't know anyone willing enough to do that! And thanks for not joining the let's-threaten-the-pants-of-nothingtodo club!

Ashes of angels: Will he kiss her? That is the question. *picks at a flower and plucks out petals* Will he, will he not? Will he, or will he not?…

Electric muffin: Thanks, electric muffin! You sound… um, electrified. Ha ha!

            Kiara was on better ties with the officer, Mitsui. After the talk they had with each other the night before, things had settled between them and the awkwardness and annoyance gradually disappeared.

             He seemed to have a certain affection for her, for reasons she couldn't even begin to think of. And she, in turn, was starting to depend on him, which at times made her stare at the empty air in front of her in horror.

            They were growing closer and closer with nothing to stop it. 

            Several times Kiara almost teetered towards the edge of panic. It was wrong. She was doing something wrong, something that might get her into deep, inescapable trouble. What if she fell in love with him? Kiara wasn't stupid to pretend that wouldn't happen. But what then?

            "Corn?" Mitsui asked her as they stood with heads bent together over the ice cream box. 

            Kiara blinked and quickly brought herself back to earth. "_Corn_?" she said in a tone that spoke volumes of how she felt about corn flavour.

            He shrugged. "Okay, mint then."

            "_MINT_??"

            "There, that green coloured one with bits of leaves in it."

            Kiara turned almost as green. "Suddenly I have a liking for corn." She muttered. 

            Mitsui wisely refrained himself from saying something and barely even smiled as the girl at the counter fumbled as she scooped up generous balls of corn flavoured ice cream. He saw Kiara dipping her hand into her own pockets and quickly turned to the counter, dropping several big notes and startling the counter girl at his sudden haste.             

Beside him, Kiara frowned. "I swear that I'm going to pay for SOMETHING before this day ends." She promised grumpily at him as he passed the huge cone ice cream at her. 

            He chuckled, gently leading her away. "Relax. This is really your lucky day. I rarely take the trouble to pamper other people."

            Kiara smiled wryly. "I'm so flattered." 

            Mitsui laughed out loud and unashamedly slipped an arm around her waist. Kiara stiffened for a while, but then relaxed in a moment and slowly leaned against him. She found she'd welcomed his touch willingly and without contempt. That was something to think about.

            "Look," Mitsui pointed at an art gallery. "Let's go there."

            The gallery was huge and posh; with costumed attendants serving them wine as they entered. The canvases draped over the walls were mostly of sceneries. Mitsui admired a few openly, giving outrageous comments as they passed one by one. They came upon a nude. "Now," Mitsui grinned. "_This_ is what I call an artwork."          

            Kiara snorted. "Too much brown paint."

            "Oh?"

            "I'm an Art Student," she replied. "_Was_ an Art Student," she corrected. She took a deep breath and stared around the room. "I used to imagine having my own gallery once."

            Mitsui smiled. "Why don't you get one?"

            She didn't answer him.

            They walked out after some time and walked around lazily, merely enjoying the coming evening.

            "Shouldn't you be working?" she asked suddenly.

            Mitsui didn't answer for a while. It was obvious that the fact that he was an officer rarely left her mind. He wondered exactly what it'll take to make her look at him without fearing and being so cautious of her future. "Already did. Morning shift," he told her. "From five a.m. to nine this morning."

            Kiara nodded. "I'd wondered where you were," she confessed. "You were gone when I woke up. Weren't you afraid I'd grab the chance and run away?" The question was delivered playfully, but it was clear that a serious response was expected.

            "No. I knew you wouldn't."

            She raised an eyebrow at the confident statement. "And how did you know that?"

            He shrugged. "Instinct."

            "Instincts are usually 79% wrong."

            "Mine isn't." He smiled down at her. Then, in a blink of an eye, he shifted his stance and trapped her against an unoffending street lamp. "Why are we talking about this?" he asked pointedly. "Why can't you ask me something about the weather or the currency or something other than my duties?"

             "I keep waiting for you to spring on me and ask me something about Luna Kimiwa and Pit Osagi," Kiara admitted, a little puzzled. "Why aren't you asking me something about Luna and Pit?"

            "Because at the very moment, I don't give a damn." It was delivered in a half-shout, loud enough to cause a ripple of excitement in the passer-by's as they eagerly anticipated a drama to burst out. "I have other concerns than Luna and Pit when it comes to you, understand? If I want something about those two, I'll get it the proper way – investigating and questioning. I will hardly coax you with an ice cream, corn or not. Stop thinking that everything I do is meant to make you open your mouth and talk."

            Kiara frowned up at him. "Then why are you wasting your time with me??" she demanded curiously. "Why bring me to places like these instead of strapping me into an electric chair with a clipboard of questions at hand??"

            Mitsui stared steadily at her. "I would think the answer is obvious enough."

            Despite herself, Kiara began to blush. _Damn those eyes_. "This is unthinkable," she began quietly and seriously, the impact doubling at the look on her face. "I tell you now and here that I _am_ somewhat acquainted to Luna and Pit, though you already know that and are still finding ways to prove it. Not to say I'm guilty, but if we keep on seeing each other like this, there's bound to be some complications."

            "Life's full of complications," he shrugged, a small smile on his face. "I learnt early on that complications should be faced head on."

            "Well, my education taught me that avoiding complications in the first place is more effective rather than face the consequences later."

            Mitsui snorted. "You can try and avoid me all you want, I suppose. I don't know if it'll be any good, but you _can_ try."

            Kiara narrowed her eyes dangerously. "It must be nice to be so confident." She muttered bitingly. "Step off and let go of me."

            He didn't budge. "I love you, Aikawa." It was said softly and quietly, almost in a whisper.

            Kiara froze in the act of shoving him away, eyes blinking. Dozens of emotions attacked her. First it was a certain warmth and happiness, something anybody would feel should they be in her shoes. And yet, soon after came anger, hard and vicious as suspicion dawned on her. "Don't you _dare_ play around with my feelings as though–"

            "And I know you love me too," he continued, cutting her furious remark off, knowing fully well what she was going to say. "Even though you're too arrogant to admit it."

            Her expression was now pained, reflecting her internal struggles. "I don't, okay? Get that in _your_ arrogant head. I don't have the slightest feelings for you – at all. And I am not –"

            He didn't even touch her. Bending down with his hands firmly by his side, he leaned over her shoulder and nuzzled her neck, his head making a perfect fit with the curve of her shoulder blades. Kiara turned speechless, her sentence dying away at the intimate gesture.

            _Why do I even bother?_ She asked herself helplessly. _He could penetrate through my lies anyway._ Her eyes flashed once. _No, this is almost begging for trouble. It has to stop. I have to get away – soon, one way or another. _

            "Mitsui –" she started, fully intending to push him away and stop any contact between them in any way possible. 

            He shifted, a slight movement that changed their stance and gave him more access to her unprotected neck. He planted a soft, barely-there kiss at her throat. "Yes?"

Wordlessly, she responded and her arms snaked around him. Before she even realised it, she was pulling him closer to her. "Nothing." 

They were in his car, speeding along the surprisingly empty road. It was already night, Mitsui observed. People were already inside their houses having dinner and preparing to go to bed.

Beside him, Kiara sat (seatbelt firmly latched), moodily staring out at the passing block of houses. Her face was troubled and he could practically hear the machine in her brain working itself to death.

            He could clearly see uncertainty and even a slight fear in her eyes. She was in a vulnerable state, a weak position, and she knew it as well as he did. She was uneasy with the strong hold he had on her and in a way that infuriated him, she kept expecting him to use it to his advantage.

            When they reached a junction, he swerved to the side and stopped the car.

            Kiara looked around in surprise. "What? Is something wrong?"

            He shook his head. Then pointing to the junction in front of them, he said: "The left one takes us back to the construction site," he murmured.

            She looked at him in puzzlement. "Yeah. So?"

            "The right one takes us to my apartment."

             Kiara didn't say anything as she leaned back against the seat. 

            "I know you said you wouldn't sleep with me at our second meeting with each other," he reminded her, smiling. "But I'm hoping you've changed your mind." He watched her intently. "Your choice." He murmured. "I'm not going to force you." 

            No, she knew he wouldn't. Grateful that the power was now back in her hands, she turned the idea over and over again in her mind. Maybe it'll work, she thought. That was what guys usually wanted and expected from a girl anyway. And once they've got it, they'll be more than eager to throw the girl away. (Author's note: This rather shows Kiara's 'huge' experience with lurve, eh?) 

            The thought of Mitsui 'throwing' her away pained and angered her a bit, but she concluded it was reality after all, and realities weren't quite how you want it to be. 

            Maybe, just maybe, he'd leave her be after he got what he wanted.

            "Okay," she told him. "Let's go to your apartment."

            He didn't move and continued looking at her. "This is not going to be a one-night stand or a short fling," he told her bluntly. "If you think we're just going to get the business done with and say 'goodbye, see you next time' to each other, you're wrong." He seemed insulted at the very idea. "I don't want to sleep with your body, Aikawa. I want to sleep with you."

            She looked at him gravely, realising he wasn't quite what she thought he was. "You ask for too much."

            "Do I?" he countered. "Or is it you who's giving too little?" When she didn't answer him, he reached out for her hand. "I'm serious about you, Aikawa. This is not for the fun of it. It goes beyond that. If we do it, then it'll bind us even closer to each other." He paused. "Are you ready for that?"

            She realised with a start that she was, and that she was actually anticipating it. "We're in a tight situation. Others wouldn't approve of this."

            "The situation and others can go to Hell," he muttered. "We'll worry about it later. Right now, it's just you and me. What's your choice, Aikawa? Yes, or no?"

            "It's dangerous," she warned him, even as she tightened her grip on his hand.

            He nodded. "I know. Yes, or no?"

            The answer was obvious to her, and to him as well. His insistence that she carefully thought about it touched her for some reason. She realised he didn't want either of them to regret anything when they wake up the next day. 

            "Yes, Mitsui. The answer was yes then, and it still is now."

For some reason, this is my favourite chapter so far. Any guesses why? Ha ha! Anyway, hope you all liked it!


	8. Run for cover

Firstly:

NO, I DO NOT WRITE LEMON *smiles sweetly*

Enjoy the story now, why don't you?

Joy: I hope things didn't happen too suddenly, or it'll be a minus to the story. : ) Read on, girl!

Eliar Swiftfire: Heh heh. Sorry, no sex scene.

Kka: Dun worry. I'm corrupted too. *pauses* darn, my secret's out. Ha ha!

Electric muffin: next chapter for you!!

Alexia: No, I don't know how long the story will be, but I'll take a guess – 10 chapters, more or less.

Fiery ice: Uh, duct tape is fine, thank you. I like Liberty X's song too! Thanks for being loyal and reading me fics, fiery ice! 

Tensaispira: Here, I'll hit your head for you too. : ) *hits tensaispira* There, hentai-ness gone now? Ha ha! Enjoy the story!

Frozenfemale: Thanks for liking the chapter! Let's see if you'll like this one too. :]

Jo-sen7: Thanks! I'm starting to think about killing Kiara and having Mitsui for myself! Ha ha!

Tiran: Answer: Read above. Me no lemon writer. :P 

Doujin: Thanks a lot, doujin! (PS: Do you think Mitsui really cares what the station thinks about what he's doing? :D)

Sakura Rui: you and i and fiery ice can all sing Liberty's song together. Seeeexxxy… everything's about you so seeexxxyyy!!

: Thanks! Adding Rukawa? As another criminal? *purses her lips, imagining Rukawa with a gun* Oh my! I'll think about it! :)

jeano: Read on!

Akane: Next chapter's here, akane-san!

sLL: Thanks! Me glad you like the story! Go on and enjoy it! Don't let me distract you. : )

sakura88: You and fiery ice can like, sit together and find ways to glue to my computer. You're both scaring me. Waaah! 

Coolpriss: Thanks for reviewing even tho you're busy! It's good you're not jealous of Kiara, but I am! (heh heh) 

Patty g: Let's get high together. *winks naughtily* Ha ha! Enjoy the story!

Fer-chan: Chp 8 – naughty? You wake up *drags fer-chan out of her hibernation* and find out yourself!

Eight chapter – if I'm not mistaken. I lost tracks of numbers!

She had trouble dragging him out of the comfortable bed the next morning. It took quite some thumping to get him to open his eyes, fast-talking to persuade him to his feet and various other strategies to get him to agree to fetch his car keys and send her back to the construction site. He clearly expressed his puzzlement at why she was in such a hurry when there were more than a dozen of his clothes that she could easily borrow.

Kiara didn't even bother explaining to him that his clothes draped around her like curtains and that he barely had anything resembling the type of undergarment that women needed. A drowsy man with half-closed eyes wouldn't understand anything.

He was still yawning when they pulled up by the construction site. He rubbed his watery eyes like a sulking little boy, looking so good doing it that Kiara couldn't resist the urge. She simply cupped his face in her hands and leaned in to kiss him. 

When she pulled back, they stared at each other with shameless looks, quite obviously still floating over last night.

Mitsui's eyes were sharp now, and quite suddenly, he brought the engine to life. "I changed my mind," he declared. "I'm not going to work. I'm going to take you back to the apartment and –"

She was already out of the car.

Leaning down, she flashed a smile. "I don't want to be the cause of you getting sacked. Get your lazy ass to work."

"Nobody sacks me."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." She flipped one hand. "Shoo, Mitsui."

He made a grab for her. "Nobody shoos me either." She backed out of reach, laughing. "Come back here, Aikawa. Aren't you worried about not being at my side 24/7?"

"No."

"What if I get into an accident?"

"Call an ambulance. 991."

"What if an earthquake happens and I get buried under rubbles and stones?"

"Start praying." She gave the convertible a playful kick. "Now be a dutiful police officer and go save the world."

He laughed. "I'll be back in the afternoon."

"Yeah, yeah, to watch me."

The look he gave her was more than naughty. "Oh, I think I'll do more than just watch. Later."

"Not so late, though." She watched him back out of the narrow road and speed away. Whistling happily, she made her way to the usual room and didn't notice the foul smell and unexpected company until she was three steps inside. Eyes wide, she stared with her mouth hanging open. "Pit! Luna! What are you doing here??"

Her two friends stared at her from bloodshot eyes, obviously wasted after a night of alcohol-drinking. Behind them stood three strangers whom Kiara couldn't recognise, hulking over Pit and Luna like enormous shadows.

"Kiarrra," Pit slurred drunkenly. "Hallo…"

Luna took a more direct approach and simply slumped into Kiara's arms. "We saw you coming out of that officer's car," she breathed heavily. "What were you doing with him?"

Kiara tried to back away from the stench of Luna's mouth. "Nothing."

"Liar," Luna accused. "Nothing's just 'nothing' with you. There's always something." Her red eyes narrowed into Kiara's. "You f***ed him, didn't you?"

Kiara shoved her away with minimum effort and snorted with disgust when Luna dropped down onto the floor in a messy heap. "That's my business, isn't it? What are you two doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on the run?"

Pit gave her a wan smile. "The police were after us."

"Even in other districts??" Kiara rolled her eyes. "Not happy enough with them after you here? What on earth did you do anyway?"

"We were…" Pit broke off as he struggled with the hangover headache. "We were just breaking into this house –" he burped noisily, "- we needed money, you see. So we broke into the house. It was such a nice house. So we broke into the house. They had a dog. But we broke into the house anyway."

"Yes, I know you broke into the house," Kiara muttered impatiently. "And then what?"

"And then what?" Pit sounded bemused. "And then what? Well, and then we stole." He started laughing. "Didn't get much though. Got interrupted."

"Oh?"

"Stupid girl." Pit snarled. "Midnight snack. Saw us and started screaming the roof off."

"It was your face," Luna drawled from the floor, giggling. "Your scary face."

Kiara ignored her and quickly butted in before the fight between Luna and Pit got underway. "What happened then? Did you run and leave as many clues as you did when you robbed the bank?"

Pit stared at her with a blank expression. "What happened then?" Apparently he didn't hear Kiara's last remark. "I dunno." He turned back to one of the strangers behind him, the muscular one with biceps as big as Kiara's head. "What happened then, huh?"

The man cleared his throat, as if he was about to declare independence or something. "We kill'd her." 

Pit chuckled even as Kiara's jaw dropped open. "We killed her? Oh yeah, we killed her."

Kiara tried to produce coherent words using her tongue with some difficulty. "You – you killed her?" she blinked. "Very funny. Of course you didn't. You never kill."

Luna started giggling again. "Yep, we never kill. But Pit just did." She ended the sentence with a hyena-like laugh.

Pit sniffed. "It was my first time," he said modestly.

Kiara stared at him in disbelief. "What do you mean, your first time?" she demanded uneasily. "You didn't really kill her, did you?"

"It shut her up."

Kiara's eyes widened. "You didn't – you couldn't have –" she paused sickeningly, a sudden realization of the current serious situation dawning into her. "Why the hell would you do that??"

"Duh. She screamed. We didn't exactly want her to wake the entire neighborhood up," the man replied nonchalantly, wondering if Kiara was stupid or just brain-dead. "So we kill'd her."

Kiara's eyes all but bulged out. "So you killed her," she repeated slowly, but dangerously. "Because she screamed? Because you were afraid she'd wake the neighborhood up?" Her cheeks bloomed red. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??"

All three strangers looked startled.

"Is life so CHEAP to you that you think it's up for TAKE-AWAY??" Kiara screeched. "That you can just KILL somebody when you feel like it?? It's just a girl! Just an innocent little girl! What right have you to kill her??"

Another stranger, a woman, gave Kiara a puzzled look. "She wouldn't be so innocent when she blabs to the police and describe our faces. And who cares about rights?"

"Your faces –" Kiara closed her eyes. "You didn't use masks." She muttered dismally. Her eyes flew open and bore into the woman's. "Idiots. The girl died just because you were too stupid to think of using masks when breaking into a house."

"What's your problem, girl?" the woman demanded, provoked. "Why the sentiments? You related to the girl or something?"

"You killed," Kiara muttered dangerously. "You took away a girl's precious life from her as if it's replaceable." She took a deep, unsteady breath. "My mother was killed just as casually as you killed the girl, and I find that very insulting."

"You're not exactly an angel yourself," the woman mocked. "You're a robber too."

"Oh yes, I'm a robber," Kiara agreed viciously. "And a liar and a cheater as well." She gritted her teeth. "But I sure as hell am not a murderer."

Mitsui's car phone beeped annoyingly. He took a moment to glance at the caller's ID, and quickly invented a curse when he realised it was Akagi. Pressing the button, he spoke out loud into the receiver stuck on his steering. "Akagi, you –"

"Where are you?"

Mitsui sighed tragically. "Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way to work. I haven't finished cursing you yet –"

"Get your nose over at the construction site."

Mitsui felt himself go cold. "Why? What happened? I just left that place –"

"Reports from Hibiko Police Headquarters. They're after the same people you're after – Luna Kimiwa and Pit Osagi. They were sighted heading back to the construction site last night. Most likely, they're already there." There was a sudden buzzing in the background. "I'm entering a tunnel. I'm going there myself, and I want you there as soon as possible."

Mitsui didn't bother ending the call.

"Come off it, Kiara," Pit muttered half-heartedly. "It's just one little girl."

"Come off it??" Kiara yelled. "COME OFF IT? You think this is like drugs or something? You think we can just put it behind us and chalk it off as a bad bet??" She ran a nervous hand through her already-ragged hair. "This is serious, Pit. I –" Kiara broke off. For some reason, she couldn't get a picture of a little girl with blood dripping off her dress out of her mind. She slumped into one corner of the room helplessly. "Oh God, why did you kill her?"

"You're being a baby, Kiara," Luna chirped cheerfully. "You've seen enough deaths to not get all teary-eyed over this."

"It because I've seen enough deaths that I KNOW exactly how much life is worth," Kiara countered furiously. "And it's certainly worth more than having to pay for a stupid criminal's mistake of being caught while breaking into a house!"

Luna laughed and then passed out on the floor, while Pit looked on bemusedly.

Kiara stared at them. "I don't believe this. I can't –" she abruptly stopped at the sound of police sirens heading their way. "I don't believe this."

At the sound, Luna and Pit miraculously recovered from their drunk daze. "Shit!" Pit yelled. "They found us!" 

And then it was all havoc. 

Kiara could only stare dumbly as things around her began to move. The police were coming to get them. She felt a stone drop into the centre of her stomach. What if Mitsui was one of them? What is he saw all this? Knew all this? What would he do to her?

"What are you doing, you blithering idiot??" Luna grabbed Kiara's arms and tugged roughly. "Go and save your butt!" And then she was dragging Kiara with her as they ran over the scattered planks of wood, following Pit and the others closely.

"No," Kiara protested. "Don't run, Luna. We can solve this. Don't run."

Luna looked back at her. "What are you talking about??" she screamed. "Have you lost what little mind you had in your brain??"

"I don't want to run anymore. We can't just run anymore. We can solve this," Kiara had started chanting unconsciously, even as she leaped across rusty iron blocks. "We can solve this. We can solve this."

"SHUT UP, KIARA! THERE'S NO WAY TO SOLVE THIS!" Luna screeched, crying visibly, even as her tear-streaked eyes darted here and there in panic. "You know what they're going to do to us, Kiara?? They're going to kick us to jail! I don't want to go to jail! God, I don't want to go to jail!"

Kiara wasn't all that excited about the prospect either. She had spent half her life avoiding just that. "But-" she started, and then abruptly stopped. _Just run, Kiara, _she told herself. _Stop trying to be a moralist and just run._

"Stop! We're the police!" boomed a voice behind them. Kiara turned to see a huge man pointing a gun right at her head. "Stop and surrender!"

Luna bawled even harder as she quickened her pace. "No! I don't want to go to jail! I don't want to go to jail!!"

_This is it_, Kiara thought, wanting to cry herself. _This is where it all comes down to. This is where it ends_. She closed her eyes against the tears, preparing to receive the bullet in the head when – 

"Stop it, Akagi! Don't shoot, damn it!"

The huge man turned around.

Taking advantage of the police officer's distraction, Pit pulled out a gun from his jacket and fired bullet after bullet. Most missed the officer, but when one caught him at the thigh, he collapsed to the ground. Pit didn't stop shooting.

"Stop it, you bastard!" Kiara screamed at Pit, watching the officer writhe in pain with horror. "That's enough! You'll kill him!"

Pit glared at her. "That's the whole point, isn't it?" He continued to shoot.

When another bullet hit the officer over the shoulder, Kiara closed her eyes again to avoid the sight. "Stop it!" She screamed hysterically. _No more deaths. Enough. No more deaths_. "Stop it!!"

All five swiveled their heads to give her seething glares. "SHUT UP!"

Then all five faces turned ashen-pale as they stared past her shoulder. Exhausted both physically and mentally, Kiara turned around to see what it was. Her breath clogged in her throat.

Mitsui was running after them, and he too had a gun poised for her head. "Akagi's hurt," he was yelling into a black walkie talkie. "Get a damn ambulance here." When he saw her, however, his eyes widened and he almost tripped, his own face turning colourless.

Kiara's eyes watered as both guilt and humiliation seeped into her. _What did you think anyway?_ She kidded herself. _That it'll last forever? You knew from the start this is how it's going to end. You even prepared yourself for it, didn't you?_

She watched as Mitsui's eyes darkened, as a look of utter betrayal crossed his face, amazed at the devastating effect that look had on her.

_Maybe you didn't prepare enough._

Pit took out his gun again, snorting nervously as he struggled to lock on the target. 

Kiara automatically reached out for his arm. "Don't shoot him!"

Annoyed, Pit slapped Kiara with both hand and gun. She staggered against the attack, her head reeling due to contact with flesh and steel. Kiara dropped limply into Luna's arms, nearing unconsciousness. "She's changed!" Pit said gruffly, once again targeting his gun. "Get rid of her!"

Luna braced Kiara's weight against her own. "No," she disagreed. "She could be useful."

"Useful, my butt!" Pit grunted. "Remind me to kill her once we get out of this mess." He cursed viciously. "Damn, this police guy doesn't know how to give up!" He started to quicken his run. "Quick! Let's get out of here!"

They turned around a corner and disappeared under a long-forgotten underground tunnel. When Mitsui arrived, the place was silent and empty.

Getting into a little bit of action now, aren't we? *nothingtodo gives Mistui a sympathetic pat and goes off for another burger at McD*


	9. Conflict

Yeah!! Ninth chapter, coming up!!

Kka: I'll help you kill Pit. You got any weapon??

Fiery-ice: You think it's close to reality? What song fits this fic?? You didn't tell me the title! 

Fer-chan:  *looks at fer-chan's last sentence* Excuse me??? Ha ha!

Rapt 142:  Darling, you ARE supposed to hate the baddies and love the main characters! Ha ha! It's nothing special. It's the way fics work – though I do admit I find myself hating the good ones and loving the bad ones!!

Patty g: What are they going to do to Kiara? What will YOU do, patty-san?

Tensaispira: He he! Yes, tergamak I stop like that! Ke ke ke! Wait till you read this chap. I think you'll be even madder! Wahahaha!

Joy: This chap should save you from falling off your seat, Joy-san. Or maybe not. *grins mysteriously*

Jo-sen7: hey, I hope you have recovered from the precious chapter. You seemed quite dazed! Ha ha!

sLL: Thanks! Read on!

Twinkle Toes: Thanks! I can actually see you get excited! Ha ha! Hope you'll like this chapter!

Alexia: I dunno. Last time I checked – which was um, three years ago – it was 991. Isn't 911 a name of a pop group?? Never mind. If I'm wrong, forgive me – me not intellectual! I'd hate it if Kiara was a mary-sue. If she becomes one, warn me, okay? So I can corrupt her all over again! BTW, was there something wrong with the previous chapter? I'm sorry if it didn't please you!

Tiran: What do you mean by *IT*?? 

Jeano: Thank you!

Akane: Me? Solve their little problem? I'll let them solve it themselves. : )

Sakura Rui: What does MOTTO mean? Heh heh, I'm pretty stupid actually. Ha ha!

Eliar Swiftfire: *stares* that line made you laugh? 

Tasuki-fan: Sorry about chapter 8. *flashes an apologetic look* I'll try not to repeat the same mistake, okay? * grins* Thanks for reviewing!

Doujin: Hostage? Maybe. Who can say? *wink*

Coolpriss: Thanks! Next chapter up!

            Sergeant Akagi looked up and through the heads of three nurses who were busy attending to his injured leg at his partner, Mitsui, who was stonily seated not far away, glaring at the floor. "You okay, Mitsui?"

            Mitsui looked up briefly. "Just worry about yourself, Akagi."

            Akagi grunted when he felt a sharp pain and accepted the nurse's frantic apology. "You're not exactly the best partner in the world," he started again conversationally, "You have a clever tongue, you're always late for work, you're never serious about anything and you have this tendency to annoy me at the worst possible times."

            Mitsui grunted uncaringly.

            "But that doesn't mean I'll let you rot away unhappy."

            The nurses then wheeled a tray out and left the two police officers alone. Akagi settled himself comfortably on the bed, being very careful not to move his leg too much and leaned back. "What is it?" he asked quietly.

            The first wave of emotion crossed Mitsui's stony face. He gave an inward sigh and looked at his partner right in the eye. "It's nothing," he started. "It's – it's …"

Akagi remained quiet.

            Mitsui sprang up on his feet and started to pace nervously. "This morning," he tried to start, but found it hard. His voice faltered and his tone shook. He wouldn't be surprised if his hands were shaking as well. "When you told me to get to the site, all I could think about was her. Is she all right? Did they harm her? Were they back for her?" he paused. "And then – and then you were shot. I was furious, and I chased them, fully intending to fire back. I had my gun out, finger ready to pull the trigger –" 

            Again, the deadly pause.

            "And then I realised I was pointing my gun at her."

            The silence hovered over them hauntingly.

            "I just stopped thinking altogether," Mitsui continued, looking helplessly out the window at the garden outside the hospital. "The blood just drained out of my brain. I mean – jeez, Akagi," he rubbed his face, "I almost killed her." 

            Akagi didn't care for the haunted look on Mitsui's face. "It was your duty," he said crisply. "If that's what it takes to keep the society safe and protected, then that's what you're going to have to do."

            "I know," Mitsui sighed. "Even then, I was aware of it. I was telling myself to shoot. Just shoot and slow down the culprits as I was supposed to. As I have always done." He glanced at Akagi. "But I couldn't. Even when I knew she was one of them, I couldn't."

            "You should have."

            Mitsui nodded somberly. "The mission failed because of me," he acknowledged. "And I'm sorry." He stared out the window again. "I promise it won't happen again."

            "How can you be so sure?"

            _Who said I was?_ Mitsui didn't answer.

            "I told you, Mitsui. I told you not to get involved with her. I told you it'd only get you into trouble." 

Mitsui's eyes darkened noticeably. "And you were right." He managed a bitter smile. "I'm sure everyone's proud of you."

            "What are you going to do now?" Akagi asked. "Now that you're blindly in love with her, what are you going to do?"

            "I'll deal with it." That was said with fierce determination. "She ran away from me, didn't she? That's an obvious enough rejection, even for someone as arrogant as I am." His fingers bunched together into fists as his anger returned and doubled. "I'll catch her."

            "What if you have to shoot her?"

Mitsui's lips tightened. "Then I'll shoot her." He gave Akagi a pointed, though slightly defensive look. "Look, I made a mistake of falling in love with her. That's by the by. I'll fix it by falling back out." 

            Akagi snorted. "You say it as if it's ABC."

            "Feelings change," Mitsui replied shortly. "Mine will."

            Akagi wasn't so sure about that, but decided to keep his insecurities to himself. "I certainly hope so." He muttered quietly. "I sure as Hell hope so."

            Kiara opened her hazy eyes and stared blankly at the piles and piles of sacked rice neatly stacked for export around her, and then winced. The sounds of heavy and rough waves crashing down onto rocks informed her immediately that she was at a port, most probably an empty one.

            Luna was right at her side, looking as if she had been waiting for the moment Kiara would stir and wake up. "You're finally awake," she snorted, crouching down in front of Kiara and lifting her chin up with one extremely long fingernail. "How do you feel?"

            Her head pounded like crazy, her cheek stung and she felt nauseous. "Fine. Absolutely fine."

            "Luna grunted at the obvious lie. "You were unforgivably foolish today, Kiara," she started, tone undoubtedly unfriendly and harsh – and angry. "You almost got us all killed."

            "Did I?"

            Luna hissed, her face getting red in anger. "Don't act stupid with me! You know very well what could've happened to us if you've kept on gibbering like a fool and slowing us down." Her eyes narrowed. "I wonder if this is some kind of a plan of yours to escape all by yourself while the rest of us go to jail."

            Kiara raised an eyebrow.

            "That's it, isn't it?" Luna asked. "You slept with the officer and persuaded him that you weren't involved. You gave away information about us. You made us sound as if it was all our doing. That's why you were so eager about surrendering, wasn't it? Because you knew he wouldn't arrest you."

            "That's bullshit, Luna."

            "No, that's exactly what your corrupted brain would've come up with."

            "It is, but it slipped past me. I applaud you for thinking about it, though. You're getting more and more broad-minded and creative by the day." 

            "I've had enough of that clever mouth of yours, Kiara," Luna raised a hand threateningly. "We might have been friends for a long time, but I wouldn't think twice about sticking a knife through your belly. Especially now when you're betraying us."

            Kiara sighed weakly. The rope that bound her hands together scratched at her skin and she found her posture more than slightly uncomfortable. "Try and look at it from my point of view, Luna," she murmured slowly. "How much longer are we going to go on like this? How many more times are we going to have to rob a bank and flee from police? I'm tired of running. I don't want to live like this anymore."

            "How else is there to live, Kiara?? Can you tell me that??"

            "If we surrender ourselves, it wouldn't be half as hard as it would if we didn't. Jail and rehab – and free food – for several years. But after that, we'd be free to start over – start a new leaf, they call it. There are so many possibilities out there, have you ever noticed that?"

            "It's not as simple as that," Luna told her. "You think jail and rehab is fun? You think it's a playground? A theme park? There are fierce guards, people who'll beat us to death. You can't even begin to imagine what its like in jail. And when you get out, where do you go? What will you do? Get a job? Continue learning?" she scoffed. "People like us don't get jobs and learn, Kiara."

            "And who," Kiara countered, "made that rule up?"

"It's the way of life!" Luna said indignantly.

"And who decides what's a way of life and not a way of life?"

            "You're being very difficult, Kiara. I don't care for it." Luna stood up and threw an empty glass bottle across the room. It broke into several fragments. "You may look at the world through rose-coloured glass, but we know the realities. This is the cycle for us. This is how we were meant to live. We can't break out of it."

            "How would you know? You've never even tried."

            Luna glared at her.

            Kiara looked back shrewdly. "You know what I think, Luna? I think you know that I'm right, and I think you want what I want. But you're afraid to take the first step. You don't have to, you know. Be afraid, I mean. You're not alone. We'll surrender together, and we'll get through it together."

            Luna shook her head. "I won't even listen to this."

        "I remember this one time in kindergarten," Kiara reminisced, a small smile on her face, "I got hold of this blade, God knows how, and cut myself across the arm. I was crying and everything to my teacher, and I babyishly told her that I didn't want an ugly scar on my arm for the rest of my life. You know what she said?" Kiara looked up at Luna. "She said, 'then why did you cut yourself in the first place?'."

            Luna didn't reply.

            "Do you see what I'm saying, Luna?" Kiara pressed. "If we didn't want to go to jail, then why did we rob banks, break into houses in the first place? It's not that life's unfair. Do you realize that we have been _asking_ for this punishment all this while? It's been our fault all along."

            Luna's lips tightened. "We needed money."

            "Everybody needs money. That's no excuse for gaining it the wrong way. What's wrong is wrong. But it doesn't mean we can't right it, does it?"

            Luna dropped herself to the dusty floor, clutching at her face and crying helplessly. 

            "I feel the same way you do," Kiara said quietly. "But I think it's time we face the consequences of what we have done."

            Luna whirled onto Kiara, her eyes flashing, though her trembling lips revealed her vulnerability. "What's wrong with you, Kiara?" she demanded, tears coming to life. "You're a champion bank robber. Why are you suddenly thinking like this??"

            Kiara lowered her head as images of Mitsui flashed in her mind. Of him laughing, smirking, grinning. Of him reaching out for her. Of his face when he looked at her this afternoon. "I- I don't know." She laughed lightly, though it came out sounding like a sea lion's cough. "I think people call it paradigm shift."

            "It's all a mess," Luna muttered brokenly. "We're all a mess. I don't want to go to jail, Kiara. I don't want to go to jail. I can't go to jail, Kiara! I can't!" she howled. "It scares the Hell out of me. And I'm pregnant!"

            Kiara's eyes bulged. "You're WHAT??"

Luna was sobbing uncontrollably. "Pit wanted me to abort it."

            Kiara's reeling head reeled even more. _Too much shock_, she thought dizzily, _too much shock in one day_. "I'm getting too rusty for this," she muttered weakly. Then, loud police sirens blasted. Kiara closed her eyes. "Oh, God."

            Luna wailed hysterically. "They found us! They always find us!"

            Kiara looked at her friend, contemplated on joining in to wail the night away. But she decided that wouldn't get them anywhere. "Luna, untie me," she ordered crisply. 

            Luna stared at her fearfully. "Are you going to turn me in?"

            "No, idiot. You're pregnant. This changes everything. Jail is hardly a place for a baby. I'll get you out of here." Kiara blew a breath. "I doubt the police will be understanding enough."

            Luna untied Kiara with shaking hands, just as a shot was released, followed by frantic screams. Luna paled. "Pit and the others!" she gasped. "They're being chased!"

            Kiara hastily threw the ropes away and pulled Luna to her feet. "Come on," she urged nervously as they rushed for the door and stepped into the dark night. "Let's get you out of here in one piece."

            Luna sniffled, still shaking terribly. "Everything's going downhill, isn't it, Kiara? We thought we were invincible. We thought we'd go on forever."

            "We need to rethink." Kiara said shortly. "Come on." She noticed that Luna's belly _was_ slightly protruding out. It made her feel all sorts of things. She was shocked, that was sure, and yet there was pride there, somewhere. Her friend was having a baby. Then there was also fear. What if she couldn't get Luna out fast enough? What if Luna got shot?

            They sneaked out under the dark night and slipped in between other stores and piles of metal boxes, pausing every once in a while as more shots were released somewhere on the other side of the port. They reached the rusted jetty. There was a tiny boat docked, looking ancient, but useable enough.

            "Pit got us that boat," Luna muttered shakily.

            "We'll thank him some other time," Kiara muttered and then prepared to make a run for the jetty when a police officer emerged out of nowhere.

            "Stop! Police! Put your hands up!" the officer stammered, obviously still new at the business, holding up a gun and keeping his distance.

            Luna screamed and started wailing all over again, gibbering nonsense in the process and clutching on to Kiara's arms and squeezing the blood vessels out of it.

            In quick reflex action, engineered by years of experience, Kiara grabbed the gun strapped to Luna's waist and pointed it back at the officer. 

            He paled slightly but firmly stood his ground.

            Both threatened each other with slight movements towards the trigger.

            "You shoot my friend," she said warningly, "and I'll shoot your head. And you can be damn sure I'm a terrific shooter."

            "I won't shoot your friend if you surrender!" The officer stammered. "Put your gun down!"

            Luna wailed. 

            "I don't trust you!" Kiara yelled above the sound of Luna's crying. "You put your gun down first!"

            The police thrust his jaw. "I don't trust you either!"

            Kiara gritted her teeth. Her finger started to push the trigger in, fully intending to shoot him where it would distract him long enough for them to make their getaway when –

            "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

            Kiara's breath hitched. "Mitsui."

            He too, had a gun directed at her, standing a few yards away with his coat flying around him in the wind. His stance was casual, yet there was danger hovering above him, a threat that he could move from casual mode to destruction mode at any time. The earlier officer sighed in obvious relief, but he did not move since Kiara's gun was still facing him.

            "Take the crying girl away, Aida," Mitsui told the officer. "Bring her to the police car to join the others."

            Aida started forward for Luna.

            "I wouldn't," Kiara warned him, taking a fresh hold on the trigger. Aida paused immediately, looking back at Mitsui for further instructions in panic.

            "Your fight's with me, Aikawa," Mitsui murmured. "It always has been."

            Helplessly, Kiara watched as the officer took Luna away gently. Luna still wailed, but followed willingly, much too scared to do otherwise. When they disappeared from view, Kiara turned back to Mitsui, and unceremoniously lifted her gun to him. 

            He didn't even blink at the move.    

            Guns at ready and well aimed at each other, they stared at one another warily.

I aplogise for the long chapter! I can't seem to get it to the right, acceptable length!!


	10. Solution

Tenth chapter! 

Disclaimer (finally!): Slam Dunk belongs to Takehiko. Which he will hopefully pass down to me someday.

Fiery-ice: He he! Read on!

Fer-chan: Ha ha! Once again, your self-insert made me laugh! Arigato!

Sakura rui: Okay! MOTTO coming! Ha ha!

Kka: Maybe because you're right?? Not that I'm saying anything.

Alexia: Sorry about chapter 8's packed-ness. I dunno what went wrong with the uploading. But it's still readable, right??

Sakura88: read on quickly then!

Lambie: Will he get her in the end? Will he get her in the end? Only time (and my decisions) will tell. Ha ha!

Tensaispira: YEP! It was supposed to be Aida Hikoichi! Imagine that!

SLL: You told me to FACE OFF?? *goes into a tantrum* 

Jo-sen7: Am continuing!

Tiran: Thank you! And to tell you the truth, I liked the last cliffhanger!!

Doujin: Sorry about the fast-paced-ness of the story! Hope it's not too much! Thanks for awaiting my fic's progress. And it's not pathetic at all. : )

Feitan: Am writing on!

Patty g: Your waiting's over. 

Joy: Thanks! Enjoy this chap!

Jeano: Cosplay? What's cosplay?

Rapt142: *belts out her psychic powers* Ha ha ha! And with it, I shall conquer the world! 

Twinkle Toes: Thank you!

Coolpriss: I think you're feeling all the right things, coolpriss. Am I THAT transparent??

Eliar Swiftfire: Let's not dwell on your uh, filthy thoughts… *nothingtodo tiptoes away*

Kylie: Hey, Mitsui pulled the gun at her FIRST! And thanks! I appreciate you reviewing!

            "What are you going to do with her?" Kiara asked after several moments of silent contemplation. 

            "The usual. Questioning. Charging. Punishing."

            "She's pregnant."

            A flicker of human emotion showed in Mitsui's face. "I see. We'll be extra careful." Then his eyes widened at a sudden thought and his fingers trembled slightly. "Are you?"

            Kiara couldn't stop the bitter smile. "It wouldn't be so absurd if you'd asked me without holding that gun." She kept her grip on hers. "No, I'm not."

            An unreadable expression came over his face, and Kiara was annoyed that she couldn't determine whether it was relief or disappointment.

            "I hope that's not a lie," he muttered, "like every other thing you've told me about yourself."

            "It's not."

            "What are you going to do now?" he asked her.

            "You mean, am I going to run?"

            "You sure did a lot of it this morning."

            Kiara ignored that. "What do you think I'll do, Mitsui?"

            "I don't know," he answered. "I don't think I know you anymore than I did when we first met." He studied her. "It's all a game to you, isn't it? Somehow I get the feeling that you haven't been taking me as seriously as you pretended to."

            She shrugged, furiously hiding the fact that his statement clawed at her. Was he blind?? Couldn't he see how serious she was about him?? Her feelings probably went even further than serious. "Everything's a game. I've never taken a game as seriously as I did this one, though."

            "I'm sure that's a compliment."

            Kiara clenched her free fist. _Bastard. It's not my fault you can't see that I'm dead in love with you_. She started to say something very cutting when the blow came onto Mitsui's back. He toppled forward and Kiara saw Pit holding a baseball bat in his hand. "What on earth –"

            "This is no time for a conversation with a policeman, you idiot!" Pit's eyes glazed. Seeing Mitsui struggling to his feet, Put swung another blow on his back.

            Kiara could clearly hear Mitsui's bones crunching. "Stop it! You'll hurt him!"

            Pit glared at her. "Actually, that's exactly what I want to do."

            Kiara rushed forward for Mitsui who was slumped near unconsciousness, but Pit grabbed her hand and roughly dragged her towards the boat. "Let go! Where are the others?? What happened to them?"

            "Caught," Pit spat. 

            "What about Luna?" Kiara demanded wildly. "She's pregnant with your baby, you idiot! Go save her!"

            Pit whirled around angrily even as he jumped into the boat. "I don't give a (beep!), okay? Now get in this bloody boat and let's get out of here."

            Kiara's temper flashed. She snatched the baseball bat away from him and swung for his head. "Don't give a (beep!), is it?? I'll show you what it's like to not give a (beep!), you insensitive block of wood!!" She missed, but managed to hit him slightly on the side of his ear. 

            Pit jumped at her and both fell onto the wooden jetty, grappling with each other. Kiara seriously intended on killing him. Her hands itched to curl around Pit's neck and choke the emotionless homosapien to death. She started to see, clearer than ever, what Pit really was. What _she_ really was, or had been. What they had done and what kind of life they had led.

            She started to detest Pit – and herself. "We always thought we were stupendous," she hissed hatefully. "But all along, we've just been stupid."

From somewhere behind them, she heard Mitsui move. She turned.

            Taking advantage of her distraction, Pit kicked up to his feet and wrapped a strong arm around Kiara's neck, choking her and trying with all his might to stop her breathing. "Shoot me," he yelled out to Mitsui, who was on his feet, gun in hand, "and she dies."

            Tears of frustration poured out of Kiara's eyes. Failing to take Pit's life was one thing, but being his shield was absolutely (and unacceptably) another. Her despair was indescribable as she limply struggled. "Old trick, Pit," she muttered angrily. "You never were creative."

            "Old tricks are the best, honey," he sneered back. "For all his show, that idiot's not going to shoot you."

            Mitsui did look hesitant, though his grip on the gun didn't falter. That only made her feel worse, knowing exactly what was holding him back. _Shoot!_ She wanted to scream at him. _Just shoot! Don't you dare let this coward of a man live!_

Mitsui cursed himself. His hands were trembling violently. Flashes of conversation slipped around his mind.

_"What if you have to shoot her?"_

_"I'll shoot her." "Feelings change, Akagi. Mine will."_

            That didn't seem to be happening. He discovered then, much to his dismay, that feelings can't be turned on and off like a switch. The realisation that he would first cut his hands off before they harm Kiara struck a chord in him. "Let her go, Osagi," he said steadily, addressing Pit. "There's no need for bloodshed. Surrender, and no harm will come to any of us."

            Pit laughed. "That's what they always say," he snickered. "But they're never true."

            He was choking her. Kiara could practically feel her oesophagus closing in. Mitsui won't kill him. She had to find a way to do it herself. Changing her stance slightly, she pushed against Pit – hard.

            Pit lost his balance, and they staggered over the edge of the jetty and fell into the crashing waves of the sea. Both hit their heads hard against the side of the boat.

            "Aikawa!" 

            Pit had lost his consciousness and his grip on her loosened as the current swept him away. Kiara felt herself going under. She was still too weak and tired to fight the moving water. The salty liquid entered her mouth and nostrils and filled her lungs. The throbbing in her head grew more profound.

            _What a novel way to die_, she thought dully. _Drown, and your sorrows drown with you._

            Then strong hands gathered her in them, and she was pulled up. She knew who it was. The touch of his hands was way too familiar for her. She clutched on with what was left of her energy and soon they were out of the water and on the jetty, dripping wet.

            She spat out the water and gathered in air, breathing heavily. Other police officers had arrived and were off to save Pit, leaving the shaken two undisturbed. Mitsui was shivering too, and it was a lot more than the cold water and harsh wind. His eyes were still wild when they looked down at her and his heart thudded noisily. "Don't," he started, a trifle unsteadily. "Don't you EVER do that again." He pulled her close.

            She shook her head and then collapsed in the protective circle of his arms.

            The trial had been ugly, with a lot of curse exchanging and swearing among the culprits. A fight broke out once between Pit and Luna, but it ended more or less with them still intact.

 Pit and his four new friends were sentenced to five years for robbery and another twenty for murder. Luna and Kiara were sent to the women's jail, where they would spend the next few years of their lives (Luna twenty five – having been involved in the murder as well, and Kiara five – for robbery only). Luna was put under special and intensive care, her baby due in a few weeks. Kiara was placed with the other women prisoners, some who had done worse crimes than she could ever think of.

            Being in jail wasn't so bad once she got used to it. The room she was assigned too wasn't all that pretty, though not uglier than the one at the construction site. In fact, she was quite comfortable with it and even began to enjoy the daily chores she had to do around the place – though not too much.

            However, she concluded that what made it all so much more bearable was the constant visitor who came every day. "He's here," the attendant told her one day while she was busy trying to fix a sink in the women's bathroom. She winked at Kiara. "Looking more and more handsome every day."

            Kiara laughed as she washed her dirty hands clean. "I'll tell him that, Fugi," she promised. "I'm sure he'll want to hear it."

            "Oh, but I already did." Again Fugi winked. "Got a smile out of him."

            Kiara chuckled, stayed still as Fugi buckled the heavy chains on her wrists and made her way to the visiting room. "Been busy flirting with other women, haven't you??" she accused as she stepped in.

            Mitsui kissed her thoroughly. "Yes, but they all know I've got eyes only for one." 

            She let him kiss her again. "How's Luna?" 

            "Blooming," he told her. "Literally. She's really, really huge and swelling. I didn't know babies were all that big. She sends you her greeting and wants you there when she gives birth."

            "Can I?"

            He shrugged. "We'll fix something."

            "She's happy, isn't she?"

            "Deliriously," Mitsui grinned. "I don't think she knows what the word 'sad' means anymore. I bet it'll get worse after the baby's born. I might have to spell it for her then."

            Kiara smiled. "Babies are absolutely delightful, after all."

            Mitsui looked at her seriously then. "Are you sure you're not…" he trailed off, his hands waving in an attempt to send his meaning across, his cheeks flushing slightly. 

            She shook her head. "No. Not yet." She smiled devilishly. "Maybe you should try harder next time."

            "I will." He said with an absolutely straight face.

            Kiara laughed and shoved him. 

            "Are _you_ happy?" he asked then, almost sombrely. 

            "I am now. I even have plans for the future. Can you believe it? I've never made plans for my future in my entire life. I've never even been sure that I _had_ a future. Do you want to know what they are?"

            "Obviously."

            "After I get out of here and finish my one-year rehabilitation, I'll continue on my Arts Studies. I'll get a degree, graduate properly and start being an artist. I'm going to have my own art gallery." She smiled at him. "I love saying that. I'm going to have my own art gallery."

            "And I love hearing it," he told her. "However, there's something missing in your future plans."

            "Oh? What is it?"

            "Me."

            Kiara's eyes twinkled and her smile grew even broader. "Why don't you make some adjustments for me then?"

            "Will it annoy you if I add in something somewhere in between you finishing your rehabilitation and continuing on with your studies?"

            "That would depend on what that something is."

            He looked at her quietly for what seemed like a long time. Then, way out of the topic, he suddenly asked, "What's your name?"

            Kiara raised an eyebrow in surprise. Then she smiled, quite amused. Looking at him in the eye, she said, "Kiara. My name is Kiara Aikawa Kiminagi."

            "Kiara," he repeated quietly, taking her hand in his and bending forward until their faces were close and they were eye to eye. "I love you, Kiara. Will you marry me?"

            Kiara had trouble breathing as tears welled up in her eyes. _Oh God. Oh God. Thank you, God_. A little sob escaped her, and embarrassed at the unintentional show of emotion, she put on a cheery face. "What if I say no?"

            "You won't."

            The confident arrogance she was so fond of! How could she possibly refuse him? "You're right. I won't. I'll be your wife, Mitsui, and the only one."

            He blinked once, and then laughed. "What makes you think there'll be others?"

            "Just being cautious." She cupped his face in her hands. "I love you too, Mitsui."

His eyes widened for a moment, and then softened and mellowed down to a calm blue shade. "It took you long enough to get there," he chided. "Are you sure you know what that statement means?"

            Kiara smiled, knowing it was his way of hiding the fact that what she said had touched him deeply. "It'll be a long time," she murmured slowly. "So much can happen in six years. Are you sure, Mitsui?"

            "I've never been more sure all my life, Kiara," he said seriously. He fingered the chains that hung over her wrists. "These chains bind you to this place, but after that _my_ chains will bind you to _me_," he looked at her full in the eyes. "- and there's no escaping it."

            "Good." She gripped his hand. "I'll make you happy, Mitsui." 

            He pressed his lips on her brow. "And vice versa."

            "May there never be a fight, with or without guns, between us again." Kiara added.

            From the doors on the opposing sides of the room, Akagi and Fugi's faces popped out. "Amen!" they said fervently.

                                                                                    END.

Just as I'd guessed, ten chapters. Hope that was a good read for all of you! Sorry if you think it ended too soon (or too late!). You can scream all your dissatisfaction at me, feel free to. : )


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